Jon Solo- 2020 RPM Challenge (Completed)

[JonSolo]

This is the thread where I will be posting my music for the 2020 RPM Challenge. It may end up full of songs. Or it may die a slow quiet death.

I will be posting each new song here, as completed, for feedback. And then I guess I will submit it to the RPM Challenge when completed. I probably should go to their website and read how it is supposed to work, ha ha.

[wagtunes]

Jon, I wish you the very best of luck with this. I am pulling for you 100%.

If anybody can do it, YOU can.

[JonSolo]

Ok the first track is finished and up. It feels unfinished, but that is the nature of these challenges. More time, better vocals, better planned fills, etc. etc. It is called: Not About You

https://soundcloud.com/jonsolo/not-about-you

Not About You

She wrote me letters, asking to state her case
Better than trying to say it to my face
She asked me forgiveness
Wanting to move on
She tried to blame me
What went wrong

When did it end, it just began, alone again, losing a friend, holding it in till I can’t breathe
The walls around me are closing in and I can’t see
There goes the day, she ran away, why won’t she stay, nothings ok, what can I say this can’t be right
Her waters feel like they’re drowning me
Someone shed some light

Fooled by her sympathy
I tried to hold on
Worn by her apathy
I’m just not that strong

She made me a table
Full of lies and deceit
She promised forever
Now her work is complete

She stood like still waters
My heart held in her hand
She squeezed till she slaughtered
All I am

When did it end, it just began, alone again, losing a friend, holding it in till I can’t breathe
The walls around me are closing in and I can’t see
There goes the day, she ran away, why won’t she stay, nothings ok, what can I say this can’t be right
Her waters feel like they’re drowning me
Someone shed some light

[wagtunes]

How the hell do you do something THIS good in a day? Un-freaking-believable.

[JonSolo]

Thanks, but I am fighting my OCD. It is far from where I would want it, but I am focused on getting all the tracks written for this challenge. I have several ideas in my head and hope to get another quick one down tonight so I can work on the production tomorrow. I haven't sung in years. This was hard. Need, more, whiskey!

[Allomerus]

Excellent track! Don't fight your OCD, tell it to chill as this is so good, even if you might not think so. I had the same problem with Jamuary. In the end I just went with it and even though I cringe at some aspects of the jams it's too late now...
No whiskey needed.
Well done!

[enroe]

Nice guitar intro - evenly floating verse - well culminating to the chorus!
Great vocals, good guitar work - almost perfect. I enjoyed listening!

[JonSolo]

Here is my second track for the RPM Challenge 2020. Something a little slower this time. This is crazy hard to do, ha ha.

Title- Wouldn't You Know, here it is (the edited for el-bo version):

https://soundcloud.com/jonsolo/wouldnt-you-know

Wouldn't You Know

Here we are at the end of the world as you know it
Nothing has changed, its all insane
At one time we lived to groom and grow it
Everything’s changed its gone away

For all time and space and life is all over
Wouldn’t you know we could live

Everyday you taste and breathe you feel it
Cherish that time, Both yours and mine

Everyday that you love grab a hand and seal it
Let your love grow into life

For our time our space our life is all over
Wouldn’t you know we could love

Try and find the peace in your mind
And when you do just press rewind
For one day, for always

Here we are at the start of our world do you feel me
Everything’s changed, its not the same

[wagtunes]

Here is my second track for the RPM Challenge 2020. Something a little slower this time. This is crazy hard to do, ha ha.

Title- Wouldn't You Know, here it is:

https://soundcloud.com/jonsolo/wouldnt-you-know

Wouldn't You Know

Here we are at the end of the world as you know it
Nothing has changed, its all insane
At one time we lived to groom and grow it
Everything’s changed its gone away

For all time and space and life is all over
Wouldn’t you know we could live

Everyday you taste and breathe just feel it
Cherish that time, Both yours and mine

Everyday that you love grab a hand and seal it
Let your love grow into life

For our time our space our life is all over
Wouldn’t you know we could love

Try and find the peace in your mind
And when you do just press rewind
For one day, for always

Here we are at the start of our world can you feel me
Everything’s changed, its not the same

Beatles, Badfinger, Raspberries, Hudson Brothers, love it!

Almost free form but doesn't matter. It's just so damn well done.

I'll be finished with this contest by the end of the week and then I can go back to writing decent songs again.

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

Really good stuff, here. The first is more to my taste. It reminds me, feel-wise, of a cross between Radiohead's 'Nice Dream' and 'Subterranean Homesick Alien'.

Really good lyrics, and expansive production.

I also prefer the imperfections of the first, that you seemed to have wanted rid of in the second track.

[JonSolo]

Really good stuff, here. The first is more to my taste. It reminds me, feel-wise, of a cross between Radiohead's 'Nice Dream' and 'Subterranean Homesick Alien'.

Really good lyrics, and expansive production.

I also prefer the imperfections of the first, that you seemed to have wanted rid of in the second track.

Yes...that and of all stupid things...a sore throat and cold coming on! These will all be revisited at the end of the month of course, ha. That lead WILL be redropped and not in one take either ha.

Thank you all for the listens and the comments. Working on the third song.

Just as a note about my goals here...I want to get some quality written tracks finished. When this month is over, it would be nice to have an album to go back to and tweak and get it right. The last vocal album I did for myself took 3 years to write and complete. If I could get this one written in a month, it would likely only take a month or two to get the re-records of the vocals, and some production things down to get a release in order. And that would be astounding.

Glad I did not opt for the instrumental route. This puts me to the grindstone.

(Edit- if I catch a break, I will drop a clean vocal on the second one in the next week...if my voice can hold up! I am never happy with the type of quick fix thing I did.)

(Edit 2- dang you el-bo!!!! Ok redropping lyric now. Dang dang dang...OCD, ARGH!)

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

Really good stuff, here. The first is more to my taste. It reminds me, feel-wise, of a cross between Radiohead's 'Nice Dream' and 'Subterranean Homesick Alien'.

Really good lyrics, and expansive production.

I also prefer the imperfections of the first, that you seemed to have wanted rid of in the second track.

Yes...that and of all stupid things...a sore throat and cold coming on! These will all be revisited at the end of the month of course, ha. That lead WILL be redropped and not in one take either ha.

Thank you all for the listens and the comments. Working on the third song.

Just as a note about my goals here...I want to get some quality written tracks finished. When this month is over, it would be nice to have an album to go back to and tweak and get it right. The last vocal album I did for myself took 3 years to write and complete. If I could get this one written in a month, it would likely only take a month or two to get the re-records of the vocals, and some production things down to get a release in order. And that would be astounding.

Glad I did not opt for the instrumental route. This puts me to the grindstone.

(Edit- if I catch a break, I will drop a clean vocal on the second one in the next week...if my voice can hold up! I am never happy with the type of quick fix thing I did.)

(Edit 2- dang you el-bo!!!! Ok redropping lyric now. Dang dang dang...OCD, ARGH!)

Hey man! I think your plan is solid. And I think you will achieve it at a level better than you expect; at least if your progress thus far is anything to go by.

With regard to my comments about the second song. To clarify, I wasn't trying to urge towards perfection. Like I said, I liked the more imperfect delivery of the first. It's just that the points at which the auto-tune artifacts rear their heads, it really shatters the illusion.

I'm not even against auto-tune. But this song's got a lot of 'heart', and I'm pretty sure it would be all the better for a more 'human' performance.

It's something only you'll be able to gauge.

Part of the RPM ethos is that this is not about producing your best work, but blasting away the cobwebs, and just finishing a full project. It's something I've really fought with, myself, but this year I have a slightly different attitude.

Given what you have said, thus far, I think the best approach for you (And probably myself) is to just get it done, without too much second-guessing. Then finesse it all once the stress of not knowing if you'll complete has dissipated

[JonSolo]

Ok, the edited for el-bo version is up! Ha, no I got you. And you are right. Artifacts make me puke. But so does a substandard release by me.

Check it out. I only had to make two adjustments as my throat is burning, ha. I like it more...more powerful, better delivery.

[thecontrolcentre]

That's a really good song ... reminds me a little of "Across The Universe" melodically.
Great performance, full of heart

[JonSolo]

Thank you! In many of my tracks I try to pay homage to either the Beatles or the Beach Boys...they really were my heavies.